Got Dogs?
According to a 2012 survey by the American Pet Products Association, 62 percent of U.S. households own a pet. That means that millions of four-legged friends are sitting home bored each day with nothing to do but chew up your shoes and shred your custom curtains. However, you can do something about it — and least for one day: Take your dog to work with you!
what are the benefits of bringing your dog to work?
besides, no more worrying about what they are doing to destroy your home while they are left alone…
Dogs make great lap and foot warmers
Encourage talk around the water cooler
Assist with the mail and mail persons… Dogs especially like to open cardboard boxes
Search and Rescue old lost files
Increase productivity
The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA) found a way to enhance performance levels and promote office efficiency at work. They found that when employees took their pets to work, it created a more productive work environment in 73 percent of the participating companies.
Small companies and Big companies like dogs at work
While only 17 percent of U.S. employers currently allow animals in the workplace, according to a survey from the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, pet-friendly, often specifically dog-friendly, environments are building steam. From major companies like Google, Zynga, and Amazon.com to growing start-ups (some featured in Inc.’s Winning Workplaces), more and more canine companions are showing up to work.
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-05-24/strategy/29997821_1_dog-friendly-pet-italian-greyhounds
More benefits:
Stress Reduction
Man’s best friend may make a positive difference in the workplace by reducing stress and making the job more satisfying for other employees, according to a Virginia Commonwealth University study.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120330081235.htm
Entertainment
Dog antics make for fun interactions with co-workers and bosses… and make everyone laugh.
Save Money
You won’t have to pay a pet sitter or doggie daycare or replace items chewed up by said dog.
Boost Morale, Team Trust and Inspire Creativity
Researchers from Central Michigan University first brought together 12 groups of four individuals and asked each group to come up with a 15-second advertisement for a fictitious product. Some of the groups had dogs around while they worked on this project and some didn’t. Afterward, they were asked how they felt about working with their teammates. Those from groups that had a dog ranked the others on their teams more highly on measures of trust, team cohesion and intimacy than did members in the groups who had no canine companionship while they worked.
The same investigators conducted another experiment with 13 groups in order to see how the presence of a dog affected team member behavior in the game “prisoner’s dilemma.” All four members of each group had been “charged” with a crime and each one of them had a choice of snitching on their teammates or not. This is a complicated game, but the upshot was interesting: members of teams that had a dog with them were 30 percent less likely to snitch on a team member, compared to the snitching habits of teams who didn’t include dogs in the workplace.
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400866/Dogs-at-Work.html
Dogs with Jobs
Mascots
Greeters
Ambassadogs
Herding dogs herd sheep and other animals
Guide dogs for the blind and disabled people
Service dogs
Therapy dogs
Sled dogs
Police dogs
Military dogs
Ranger Lori Oberhofer and Python Pete (pictured) work together to track down and remove pythons from Everglades National Park in Florida. These pythons came to South Florida as pets and when people no longer want or cannot care for them, they are often released into the Everglades.
Due to their high intelligence, Labrador retrievers are often used as guide dogs for the blind, for search-and-rescue teams, or in narcotics detection with law enforcement, like this yellow Lab which helped Colombia’s police seize three tons of drugs.
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/photos/dogs-with-jobs/
http://www.takeyourdog.com/About/faqs.php
Tips on successful visits
Plan for a safe, successful visit:
* Take only well-behaved pets who are comfortable and reliably safe around strangers. Leave pets who show aggressive tendencies towards people at home.
* Make sure your dog understands the basic commands, such as SIT, STAY and DOWN.
* Take only pups or dogs who have been socialized to people and other animals.
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_PetsAtWork.php
are you taking your dog to work this week? Friday, June 22 is Dog Day… but many people are taking their pets to work all week…
